RAG'S RAVE

The Rozelle Arts Guild (RAG) threw quite the rave this weekend. The group decided to host an underground techno-dance party in their derelict warehouse last saturday to help raise funds for the buildings renovations. Bringing together students from U of M, MCA, Rhodes, and others, as well as local memphians, the group also hired a group of talented young DJ's to keep the crowd going. Industrial strobe lighting and smoke flashed around the ceiling while bubbles were periodically released into the crowd. It was, to say the least, a great alternative to a school frat party with everyone you see everyday, and the latest rap music already too jaded from the radio's playlists. I think with all of the empty warehouses around memphis and a solid group of people who love to move to a good beat and meet new people, there's no reason something like this shouldn't happen more often. Not to mention if with a small entrance fee, it could raise money for something bigger and better for the entire community, especially for the arts. Way to go RAG!!

Indie Memphis Micro Cinema Night!!!!!

If you have never been to an Indie Memphis short film night at Power House Gallery, you're missing out. The second wednesday of every month the space turns its downstairs space into the perfect make-shift movie theater. It throws in some chairs, drops a giant movie screen, and sets up a wonderful free popcorn and wine booth. The group features filmmakers and artists from around the country and sometimes beyond it. For example, this month's selection of short films contains filmmakers from California, Wisconsin, New York, and Cuba, and the many spots in between. The films are also typically centered around a general theme. Titled "Go Organic", this exhibition's theme deals with the horrors of the American agricultural system. While there are some serious and disturbing documentaries dealing with this subject in the group, there are light hearted comedic films thrown in the mix as well, like the animated spoof by Louis Fox, "The Meatrix". What is also nice about the evening is that most of these films do not exceed ten minutes. So, that means that you are never settled and stuck in one film, and so the night is constantly entertaining. It is truly a wonderful way to spend an interesting evening with your friends without spending a cent. You can also come and go as you please which means there really is no reason not to go.This free event will be coming up February 13th at 7:30. Go check it out.

CHICAGO TRIP 2008!!

Sprinting to first place on the cultural map in a matter of recent years is Illinois' own Chicago. This mecca for the arts is the prototype for any city wishing to create/hone a cultural identity. The midwestern city is now home to over 200 plus pieces of public art that grace almost every corner, serving as a city-wide "sculpture gallery". However, from what I was able to discern from the various art organizations I met with during my visit, it was not always this way. Raising the city's cultural bar has been decades in the making, driven by hardworking art lovers and civic leaders who understand the importance of the arts and culture in their city. Key groups such as Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs have only slowly grown into the thriving non-profit arts group they are today. They seemed to agree that achieving a cultural status like Chicago's takes patience, perserverence, dedication, innovation, and setting high goals. Nowhere are these ideals more prevalent than in Chicago's most recent triumph, Millennium Park. Now one of the most significant locations in Chicago, this project began as a mayor's modest attempt to cover old train tracks and underground garages. After a period of great debate and controversy, it is now home to non-profit performance venue designed by world renown architect, Frank Gehry, filled with contemporary interactive sculptures by many contemporary artists, namely Anish Kapoor's "Cloud Gate", known more commonly as "The Bean", and still growing with new artists joining the project every year. While in Chicago I also heard about the impressive support systems that have developed for the city's many small black box theaters- systems that provide business and marketing training as well as other practical tools needed to run a successful theater company. These organizations can be credited for the reason Chicago is now known for its thriving theater community. I truly admire the way this city has commit itself to improving every aspect of the arts in order to foster a healthier and more vibrant culture for the people that live there and or anyone who visits it.